Danish zoo kills giraffe to prevent inbreeding

Marius the giraffe is pictured in Copenhagen Zoo

Marius the giraffe is pictured in Copenhagen Zoo February 7, 2014. The Copenhagen Zoo went ahead with a plan to shoot and dismember a healthy giraffe on Sunday and feed the 18-month-old animal's carcass to lions - an action the zoo said was in line with anti-inbreeding rules meant to ensure a healthy giraffe population. The giraffe, named Marius, was shot in the head and then cut apart in view of children, according to a video of the incident released by the Denmark-based production company Localize. The zoo's plans had sparked an outcry from animal rights activists. A British zoo had offered to give Marius a home and even started an online petition to save the giraffe, gathering more than 25,000 signatures. Picture taken February 7, 2014. REUTERS/Keld Navntoft/Scanpix Denmark (DENMARK - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY)
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Marius, a healthy male, was put down Sunday using a bolt pistol, said zoo spokesman Tobias Stenbaek Bro. Visitors, including children, were invited to watch while the giraffe was then skinned and fed to the lions. (AP)